Whether you're a serious collector or just curious about the value of your old cards, this article is a must-read. This Leaf rookie card, along with Sosas rookie, were hobby keystones for the last decade of the 20th century. 1986 Topps Traded (Buy on eBay) 7. And thats what this eBay lot is about more Junk Wax product than just about any other listing out there. I believe my 1984 set was made from those cards. Also, a better Hall of Fame candidate than Jack Morris. I mean, just look at those gorgeous Topps rack packs, with Tom Seaver showing and Rick Sutcliffe showing and Fergie Jenkins showing and. Or your TV, if you were feeling lucky in dealing with your dad. Defense matters very little in both fantasy and collecting. They were golden days full of anticipation and hope, joy and (yes) disappointment when you pulled Tom Brookens instead of Alan Trammell. No one realized they lived through the Junk Wax Era, until the bubble burst and prices plummeted. It is quite a cautionary tale. Just because its known as the Junk Wax Era doesnt mean all the cards are worthless. Recently, some of these cards have been surging in value. Check out the full eBay listing (affiliate link). Thats not really the case with this eBay lot a cello box full of (wouldnt you know it?) 1989 Fleer Randy Johnson RC Marlboro Background #381. Its a humdinger of a card that was popular right off the bat and still rings collector bells today. But there is a second tier of cards that helped drive the hobby to new heights, even if in a more supporting role. In particular, what youd be bidding on if you bade (or BINned): 1980 Topps Baseball Superstars 1 box, 36 cards, all opened1984 Topps Super Baseball 1 box, 20 unopened packs, 16 opened packs + wrappers1985 Topps 3-D Baseball 1 box, 22 unopened packs, 4 opened packs1990 Topps Doubleheaders 1 box, 36 unopened packs1990 Topps Heads Up Baseball 2 boxes (1 box with 24 unopened packs, 1 box with 21 unopened packs). But its happy because the blue boxes themselves are shining through a crack in the case cardboard, and they look pretty gorgeous still. 1991 Topps Desert Shield Chipper Jones Rookie Card #333, 15 Most Valuable 1973 Topps Baseball Cards, 10 Most Valuable Shaquille ONeal Rookie Cards. Limit one per person. Jose Cruz was actually six feet tall but felt Patek-ish because he crouched like a tiger. I mean, right there on the front panels are sparkling cards of Lee Lacy, Gary Lavelle, and Randy Moffitt. Add in the Future Hall of Famers and All-Stars inserts, and you had a solid set that verged on scorchingat various times. They have dark photos, an elementary-school-kid design, and plenty of errors. Frank Thomas was a two-time American League Most Valuable Player and a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner. ), 1989 was not a great year for Fleers Quality Control Manager. Even more luckily, I convinced my parents to float me a loan for all the burnt orange packs I could find. In this case (no, just a box, actually), we a box 24 full packs of 1990 Topps! Even some cards in the 19851995 junk wax period, when the card industry pumped out millions more cards than anyone wanted, are valuable. Damon might never make it into the Hall of Fame, but this guy was a huge fan favorite with two storied franchises (playing four of his 18 seasons with the Red Sox, and then four more with the Yankees). A T206 Honus Wagner card sold earlier this month for $7.25 million, a then-record that didnt last long. Will you find the Rose rookie here in this one-cent wax pack up for auction on eBay right now? Who? #331 Bulls Team Checklist. You excitedly tear open the wrapping paper and unfurl your treasure, a 1978 Topps Baseball Holiday Rack Pack. 4. The world of sports trading cards has seen many valuable cards over the years, but some of the most valuable cards come from the 80s and 90s. Topps tried out another version of their picture-in-picture design not on par with 1983 but not terrible. As a side note, 1987 was the year of Mitchells mini-breakout, two seasons before his monster MVP campaign in 1989. They dont fit well with other cards from a size perspective, theyre not beautiful, and you hardly ever hear anyone clamoring for them. The late 1980s and early 1990s were fun but times in the hobby. 8. But back in 1971, hoarding away sealed boxes of cards wasnt necessarily a commonly practiced financial endeavor. Maybe the folks at Topps had the same experience sometime around 1980. Mattingly was a fan favorite and helped lead the Yankees to several successful seasons in the 1980s. The card was produced in limited numbers, with only 241 copies ever made. Can you imagine if his rookie season came on a staff already stacked with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz? Youve heard of wearing your heart on your sleeve, right? My collection is a grand mix of Topps, Fleer, Donruss and Score brands. I always loved previews of what was to come, so I thought Id start sharing those with you here! Add steroids and controversy to the overproduction stigma, and many of the rookie cards of this period pale in comparison to those from a decade earlier or even a decade later, in many cases. His career spanned from 1990 to 2008, during which time he hit 521 home runs and recorded over 1,700 runs batted in. Also, note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay or Amazon and buy something, Ill receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Junk Speaking of Bonds, his rookie card appears on two of these eight cello packs. In their free time, Yanni stays current with animation, design, and illustration trends. The 1984 Donruss card was his first major league baseball card. This card was part of a special set released by Fleer in 1984, featuring players who had made their debut during the season. As the decades have passed, the value of our baseball cards have ebbed and flowed, but something else has happened something amazing. Back in 1986, though, clouds had much more limited applicability . While McGwire's legacy has been somewhat tarnished by his involvement in performance-enhancing drugs, his rookie card remains an integral part of baseball card collecting for its association with one of the game's greatest power hitters. OK, so this is not really *wax* in the strict sense, but wax is really a state of mind right? Better grab yourTums. While there are other cards from the Junk Wax Era that still have some tangible worth, the above list is populated with rookie cards of current and future Hall of Famers, as well as those who, unfortunately, will be forever linked to baseball's ugly Steroid Era. Oh not before they also issued a combo career tribute card for Carl Yastrzemski and Johnny Bench (and one for Gaylord Perry and Rollie Fingers). Since rookie cards are generally considered the most valuable for any given player, Griffey cards are relatively affordable because of this era. $240 for a PSA 10, $40 for a PSA 9 11. April 2023; January 2023; December 2022; November 2022; This eBay lot gives you all that history in a box a 1984Donruss wax box full of thirty-six 1984 Donruss wax packs. With just one card per pack but 36 packs in a box, you *should* stand a good chance of getting one of everything with this lot. An Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card from 1989 also makes the Athletics list. The card is nothing but a comic. Rookie Card #98T, 8. Eddie Murray, Robin Yount, Jim Rice, Mike Schmidt, Dale Murphy, Gary Carter all in the first 10 cards after Diamond Kings and Rated Rookies. Five Underrated Baseball Card Products #365 Gary Payton Rookie Card. 12 Most Iconic Baseball Rookie Cards From the Junk Wax Era (1986-93). Hitters entering their prime years (ages 26 and 27) often portend a breakout season in fantasy, which also makes them good buys before the season in collecting. The following year, he made his major league debut, and his rookie card was included in the 1993 SP set. Sure, there are super rare cards or relics, but if were talking base cards, inserts, parallels or autographs, rookie versions of those cards always lead the way. The greatest closer in baseball history looks like hes posing for his high school yearbook editors photo, and somehow, it makes Mo even cooler than he already is. The SP Foil set was a limited edition run, with only 5,000 copies of the Rodriguez card printed. As this column continues to evolve, were taking suggestions from readers and commenters on how to make it more helpful, entertaining and informative! Michael Jordan is widely Sosa was traded from the South Side of Chicago to the North Side for George Bell, and many people dont realize that Sosa and Frank Thomas were on the same team in the early 90s. He also had quite the Rated Rookie mustache! The next time youre lamenting how todays safety-first regulations and advertising are robbing us of everything fun, come back to this eBay listing (affiliate link) and remind yourself the joy-robbing started no later than the mid-1980s. Still, one sealed Topps Desert Shield wax box recently sold for $7800, making these some of the most valuable baseball cards of the junk wax era. There were other versions of it, but this was the main one. For those who have their own boxes of baseball cards stored away and are hoping for a payday, be aware that there is an era of baseball cards that is particularly not valuable. Mattingly+rookie+cant-find-these-cards-anywhere+New York Hype = explosion. Or maybe the Willie Stargell rookie? I picked merch a lot. Bonds (whose HOF fate is up to the Era Committee now), of course, is the best of the bunch, and this card was just on the early cusp of the junk wax era. 9. Theres not much to say about todays Wow! The 1984 Topps Don Mattingly rookie card fits that bill perfectly it wasnt the main attraction when Donnie Baseball was making his name during that fabled summer of 1984, but it became a hobby favorite in a flash and has maintained that status for nearly 35 years. From iconic players like Ken Griffey Jr. to rare cards like the 1989 Upper Deck Griffey rookie, we've got you covered. Fleer cleaned things up even more and put out a really nice, solid set. And there is nobody NOBODY starrier than Craig Worthington and his .230 lifetime batting average. While there are some PC-worthy cards in the 1993 SP Upper Deck set, there is one big chase card that overshadows the rest and thats the Derek Jeter rookie card. By 1986, the hobby was fully engulfed in the flames of rookie card mania thanks to the exploits of young phenoms like Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Eric Davis, Don Mattingly, and that summer of 86, Jose Canseco and Wally Joyner. Plus plus, the Expos are gone now and Pete is banished, so its sorta like the whole thing never happened. Older entries below are some awesome unopened lots from years gone by. The Topps Traded set included players who had been traded or signed as free agents during the offseason. Looking back at their careers, its pretty easy to say that Schmidt will give you more peak value and more long-term value than Mex. The good news is, its got your name on it. Most Valuable Maddux was the best pitcher of the past 50 years. The Rated Rookie subset first came out in 1985 and this logo became as iconic and important to the industry as the Topps All-Star Rookie Cup that debuted 25 years earlier. In his run-up to the record, all of Roses cards jumped up in demand and value, and he was arguably the hottest of all non-rookie players all across the land. Its the most ever paid for any sports item, card or memorabilia, according to ESPN. 1994 Alex Rodriguez SP Foil Rookie Card #15. It was the debut set from card manufacturer Upper Deck, who shook up the collecting world with improved glossy card stock, inserts worth chasing, counterfeit-defying holograms and foil wrappers instead of wax. But not quite, and they wanted to spread that word. You know, with its Tony Dorsett rookie card and its lineup of Hall of Famers like Walter Payton, John Riggins, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, and all the rest. As Jeter's career took off, so did the value of his rookie card. That can be good or bad, depending on the blackness or redness of said organ, and on the context. There are, however, some cards from this era that have some value. 1985 Topps Mark McGwire Team USA rookie card #401, 14. It used to be that you had to do something pretty special, like hit three home runs in one World Series game, before you could have your own baseball-themed candy bar. The card is part of the 1993 SP (Special) set, which Upper Deck produced. Super cool, right? However, there are still unopened packs circulating among high-end collectors, and only the incredibly brave would risk ripping open one of these packs in search of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, or the coveted Mickey Mantle. Baseball If youre a card collector, you are also most likely a fantasy player. Note: When you click on links to various merchants in this post and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. ), Danny Cox, and Gary Pettis. And the box itself is a great display piece. This page is dedicated to reliving those thrills of youth by bringing to light one incredible (in some way) unopened lot of baseball cards each day. Wax Apparently, thats how Topps felt in 1984. 10. Rookie Card #1, 3. Its hard to be happy with 15.15 repeating of a bunch of things when you have to have one of everything. The Cloud is all the rage these days, and anybody whos anybody has at least one something running there, or aspires to. $360,000 for a PSA 10, $7,800 for a PSA 9. Kevin Mitchell makes one appearance, as do Nolan Ryan, John Kruk, and Jose Canseco. Would you rather have Keith Hernandez or Mike Schmidt on your team? 1991 Dominik Hasek Upper Deck French RC #335 SHOP EBAY Dominik Hasek is one of the eras top goaltenders, and this is one of his more popular RC options. Check out the full eBay listing here (affiliate link). Lots of chances to perfect your no-tears tearing. Mostly, though, its happy because there are 12,000 Topps baseball cards inside. There were several hobby retailers who sold complete sets, but you could also buy them in individual paper packages containing three buttons each. I went big time on a box of 1991 Leaf Series I and plunked down a whole $12 for this premium junk wax. But this lot ratchets up the intensity of this argument a couple of notches. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $8,000 on March 2023. I mean, theyre black-and-white, sure, but big. Do you remember the first old rookie card to explode in popularity based on what was happening on the field? This card is the first of Upper Deck's first set. 1990 Upper Deck Hockey. And all that argues that this pack should be kept intact, just the way it is, forever. It was a bargain when you consider that most of the country couldnt even glimpse Donruss and that boxes were going for $20 or more by Spring Training. And they look great. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. ), 3. I know that we all know now that 1987 Donruss is not rare, but its still awesome to me. If youre reading this, chances are pretty good you spent at least part of your childhood as I did ripping open (or carefully unflapping) wax packs of baseball cards. Were deep into the NFL preseason schedule, the first Indiana high school football games went down Friday, and the gridiron is starting to tug at the heartstrings once again. And, finally, Rob Picciolo wasnt small at all, but his name is really close to piccolo, which is like a small flute. Makes me feel like a kid again, especially when you see that all four boxes feature Don Mattingly (and, yes Steve Garvey), who was still right at the top of the hobby mountain even as the home runs began to flow all across the game. For just 15 cents a pop, you could buy paper packets of these babies all day long. We cover the most valuable baseball cards from the 80s and 90s. Its probably seen a hard life, or its just aged, like I have. Yep, before The Kid ever took the Kingdome field, Mike Cramer and the Pacific Trading Card Company treated the hobby to the *drumroll* Ken Griffey Jr. Hes upside down, too. A completely far-out unopened pack of these sweet squares (rectangles)! Top 30 Most Valuable Football Cards From the Junk Wax Era As far as anyone knows, there are no sealed wax boxes of the 1952 Topps release. and Topps. So, while this 1984 Topps rack pack with a Mattingly rookie on top doesnt hold quite the hobby sway that a Donruss version would, its still an awesome artifact from one of the great runs in hobby history. The SP Foil set was a limited edition run, with only 5,000 copies of the Rodriguez card printed. Someone is gonna have a lot of fun, in other words, and maybe feel just a little younger in the process. They often have fuzzy corners and creases, and, somehow, about a third of the 1982 Fleers Ive ever encountered have marker marks on them. And, at this moment, what could be more tantalizing than and unopened wax pack box of 1978 Topps football cards? 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card #482, 13. Did you know the Atlanta Braves drafted Randy Johnson in the 1982 MLB Draft? Customer Service: 800-601-2650info@giantsportscards.com, Mailing Address:1815 Hembree Rd., Suite 413Alpharetta, Georgia 30009, United States. There are many reasons why this card is considered iconic, but inexpensive. Always the same design, basically, at least. In the third panel is Buddy Schultz. And when they were all done, Topps darn near fell into the pond and drowned while looking at their own reflection in the neighborhood cardboard pond. This eBay lot lets you capture all that Super kitsch with three unopened boxes of 1984 Topps Supers, minus one pack. Chipper Jones, a prospect for the Atlanta Braves, was included in the Desert Shield set, and his rookie card quickly became one of the set's most valuable and sought-after cards. According to the Athletic, SP was a high-end product from (card brand) Upper Deck. It comes with a PSA value of $360,000 for a condition grade of 10. Is This A New Junk Wax Era? - CardLines.com Cool thanks for reading and letting me know! Ranking the 13 best sets of the Junk Wax Era of baseball cards | Sporting News KAN MIN 1:10p -250 BAL DET 3:40p -127 CHC MIA 3:40p -120 PIT WAS 4:05p This late release made the Ripken rookie card more limited. But one thing 1986 Topps did have going for it was Pete Rose like, all over the place. Not only is this Draft Pick card an all-time classic it even turned into a pretty awesome Vladimir Guerrero Jr. RC in 2019 Topps Archives. And if its a bit rich for your blood, with its Buy-It-Now of nearly $700, you could opt for the companion lot offering four unopened wax packs from the same set (affiliate link). So, not only did they issue a 1981 base set that was fairly OK plus showcased one of the greatest error cards of all time (C. Nettles), they also blessed us with their first Star Stickers set. All Rights Reserved, What are your baseball cards worth? When they do not perform well, you want to punch a wall! Its gorgeous! This eBay lot of three 1983 Fleer rack packs gives you all of that awesomeness right in your face, and it doesnt even make you guess too much about what youll get. The most significant cards only to appear in Series 2 would be the following: #304 Phil Jackson. Especially one from the 1970s? We often talk about iconic cards, but The Kids rookie card was a signal for change. Its like a Golden Corral buffet everything seems not that good, but the fried shrimp and the banana pudding aint bad at all! How much would you pay to complete your baseball card collection? PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,930 on March 2023. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The Yankees drafted Jeter in 1992. 1985 Topps Rack Packs are not, technically speaking, This lot offers up twenty (20) 1985 Rack Packs with stars on front(. In 1986, Donruss was the hottest brand going thanks to the presence of a Jose Canseco Rated Rookie card, but Fleer wasnt far behind thanks to rookie cards of Canseco, Cory Snyder, Lenny Dykstra, Benito Santiago, Cecil Fielder, and many others. And, well, deckled. 1987 Topps Tiffany Barry Bonds rookie card #320, 9. The set proved to be popular, so Topps continued it in 1982. They were amazing at the time (and now, too, imo). And it would have yielded 15.15 repeating copies of every card in whichever set was involved. By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Wax Pack Gods newsletter. You can tick off the movers and shakers of this hobby in your sleep T206 Honus Wagner, 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan, 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly, 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Then, if you manged to tear open the pack without ripping the stickers themselves, you could affix them to the appropriate page in the accompanying sticker album. Its crazy to think he also played at least one season with Kansas City, Oakland, Detroit, Tampa Bay and Cleveland. Except I always got distracted by Donruss and Fleer and Topps Stickers and Action All-Stars and Fun Foods. And, for only $200 or so, you could relive the thrill of searching for them under wax wraps. I mean, sure youd give up hard-earned money for your cardboard fix but would you chuck down box after box of gut-churning, cavity-inducing powdered, compressed, malted, generally blech wheat products? You scoured the pages of Baseball Cards and Sports Collectors Digest waiting for word of any new releases, and then you planned your life around getting your hands on some. 1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett RC #93. 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens Rookie Card #U-27, 10. 1993 Finest Refractor Ken Griffey Jr. #110, 4. That card was already popular among collectors when Pete headed back to the Cincinnati Reds in August 1984 as player-manager, but it was then we all realized hed be taking aim at Ty Cobbs all-time hits record on the Riverfront. Still, one sealed Topps Desert Shield wax box recently sold for $7800, making these some of the most valuable baseball cards of the junk wax era. I believe I bought about $10 worth.maybe 300 cards. Was it even save back then? Couple that happy occurrence with the general hobby explosion and the nascent rookie card craze, and you had a phenomenon that couldnt be stopped. They expertly blend art and design knowledge with market insights, creating engaging content for FutureArtFair's readers. The Mantle card reportedly came from a trove of untouched 1952 Topps baseball cards found in a basement, according to ESPN. We'll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.. So, yeah, lots like this one four unopened boxes of 1987 Donruss wax packs make my old man heart go pitter-patter and leaves me with drool pooled at my feet. Bush. A baseball field, a baseball, and a photo of the players first Topps card. It was the best card back of the junk era. @nathanphifer: When youre 10 years old, opening a pack of cards is almost a spiritual experience. The intrigue of what is going to greet you when you peel back that wax packaging is second to none. Far too many were printed, theyre littered with quasi-errors and print issues, and rare chase cards are numbered in the thousands. Dark and dingy photos, half-hearted designs, lousy cardstock, errors all over the place things were pretty messy in 1981 and 1982. Several hundred rack packs. Blow it up to the size of a skyscraper and shine a light on it for all the world to see? Depending on the year, that would have like quadrupled, tripled, or at least double my collection. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,150 on March 2023. The only player on here twice Im doubling down on some rookie Jeter. 3 Unhappy Hobby Things Some Collectors Do, Ranking the Top 5 NBA Rookies From Each of the Past 5 Years, 8 Baseball Rookie Cards Were Hoping To See in Topps Series 2. While his 1992 Bowman rookie is one of the iconic cards of the 1990s, it's actually his 1992 Fleer Update card that earns a spot on this most valuable list. We were pretty sure, though, that all these young hitters would end up in Cooperstown. Most of the boxes Ive bought in the past year, from card shops or eBay, have been priced in the $5 to $20 range and have been firmly from the heart of the Junk A 12th was an autographed Cal Ripken Elite card, which was limited to only 5,000. 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. But Hernandez has a stronger Hall of Fame case than you might remember, so you really couldnt go wrong with either guy. ), See the full listing on eBay (affiliate link). Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates. In the in-between are goodies like six 1985 Topps baseball wax packs, three 1982 Donruss wax packs, two 1981 Topps baseball cello packs, and three 1989 Upper Deck baseball packs. Wax listingshere.). And what better way to have some fun than busting open a box of one of those funky Topps test issues risen from the nadir of the Junk Wax Era. You can buy them for pennies or less under circumstances like this. Just a few keystrokes, and were there. PSA 10 card is currently selling on eBay for $22,200 in 2021. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $3,280 on March 2023. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,900 on March 2021. That Yaz/Bench beauty is also the centerpiece of this eBay lot, an unopened 1984 Donruss Rack Pack with the Living Legends right there on top, in the middle. If youre doing the math, that leaves about 75 other packs, and they all fall sorta in the same general vicinity of cardboard space-time as those Ive already mentioned. Anyway, this eBay lot gives you a pretty good shot at all these guys and plenty more its a complete unopened box. Of the sealed boxes that were sent overseas, some were opened, some were tossed, and apparently some were used as kindling for fires. This is the holy grail of 1984 baseball boxes, of course, as it possibly contains the fabled 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card that changed the hobby forever. The Mantle card, which was graded at 9.5 by the card-grading company SGC, is arguably the finest-condition example of the most iconic post-war card in the world, said Chris Ivy of Heritage Auctions, which conducted the sale, according to ESPN. Who do you like? PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $14,000 on August 2022. Check out this video for details! Unfortunately, nobody really knew who Don Mattingly was when the 1984 season began, so hes not here but the Darryl Strawberry rookie is. The rookie card class was pretty weak, for another (thought Cecil Fielder beefed it up when he came back from Japan in 1990). While Mark McGwires rookie card came one year earlier in Topps, the Bash Brothers were huge hobby helpers back in the day.